Weed exterminator



Sept. 26, 1939.

T. W. JACKSON WEED EXTERMINATOR Filed July 19, 1938 Inventor rziwffaeaon97 I a By A ttorneys Patented Sept. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE1 Claim.

This invention relates to a hand device for the extermination of morningglories, white tops, Russian weeds, Canadian thistle, and analogousdeep-rooted vegetations or weeds which usually a infest lawns and thelike; and the invention together with its objects and advantages will bebest understood from a study of the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the device, and

Figure 2 is an elevational view thereof with certain parts broken awayand shown in section.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals it will be seen that thedevice comprises a tank or receptacle 5 adapted to contain a suitableliquid weed-exterminating agency, as, for example, bisulphide (carbon)and provided at its lower end with a conical cap 6 and at its upper endwith a flanged cap I screw-threaded or otherwise secured, in adetachable manner, on said upper end of the tank or cylinder 5.

Extending longitudinally within the tank or cylinder 5 is an elongatedtube section 8 that at its upper end extends through an opening providedtherefor in the cap I and has threaded on said upper end as at 9 asubstantially T-fitting l0 through the horizontal arm portion of whichextends a substantially tubular handle ll of any desired length.

A tube section I 4 also extends through an opening provided therefor inthe apex of the cap 6,

and at its lower or free end the tube section l4 is tapered as at l2 andis provided with a substantially conical valve seat 3|.

Suitably mounted on the upper inner end of the tube section I4 is avalve casing 29. Threaded into the upper end of the valve casing 29 is aplug 30 that has a reduced externally threaded end threaded into thelower orinner end of the tube section 8 as shown in Figure 1.

The tube section l4 presents a gas chamber for holding a predeterminedamount of the liquid that is to be injected into the weed a suitabledepth below the surface of the ground, and this chamber is charged withthe liquid contents of the tank or cylinder 5 through openings l3provided in the peripheral wall of the valve casing 25, as also clearlyshown in Figure 1.

Operating longitudinally within the tube sections 8 and I4 is a valverod l! which at its lower end is provided with a substantially conicalvalve [8 adapted to engage a valve seat 3| protion l4, and an integralpoint 19 adapted to penetrate the ground.

The rod I! also works through the valve casing 29 and provided on therod to reciprocate therewith is a plunger 32 that has a working fitwithin the valve casing 29 and serves as a valve for the ports [3.Integral with the stem 35 of the plunger 32 is a substantially conicalvalve 36 that is adapted to seat against a substantially conical valveseat 31 provided therefor at the end of the plug 30 engaged with thevalve casing 29.

Also, the valve plunger 32 is provided with air ports 38 therethrough asshown. In this connection it will be noted that valve 36 is engaged withits seat 31 when valve I8 is engaged with its seat 3|, the valve plunger32 being thus above the ports l3 permitting the fluid within the cylgder5 to pass through the ports into the cham- The handle II is providedadjacent one end thereof with an elongated slot 2| in which is pivotedas at 22 the intermediate portion of a substantially S-shaped handle 23.Handle 23 at one end thereof has a pin and slot, or lost motionconnection 24 with the upper end of the valve rod ll, it being noted, inthis connection, that in the presentinstance, the upper end of rod I1 isprovided with a yoke 25 which receives between the legs thereof theslotted end of handle 23, while a bolt 24 extends through apertures inthe legs of the yoke 25 and through the slot 25 in said end of thehandle 23.

The handle 23 is normally urged to rotate in a counter-clockwisedirection through the medium of a coil spring 21 that at one end issuitably anchored in a detachable manner, and as indicated generally at28 to the periphery of the tank 5 while the other end is suitablyconnected with the handle 23 adjacent the grip end of said handle.

To facilitate the penetration of the ground by the pointed end of thedevice, and to limit the extent of penetration, there is provided a footbar 21'. Bar 21' extends laterally from the lower end of the tube 8 andis adjustably secured on the tube through the medium of an integral eye28 formed on one end of the bar and sleeved on the tube, and a set screw29' threadedly engaged with the eye and adapted to be threaded home intobinding engagement with the tube 8 to thereby secure the bar 21' at thedesired position of adjustment.

Also, and as shown, cap I for the tank or cylinder 5 is provided with asuitable filling neck 40.

Also, the device is equipped with a suitable liquid level indicator, thesame being in the form of a rod 38 graduated in terms of gallons andfractions thereof, or as otherwise will suit the purpose. Rod 38 worksthrough a suitable boss 39 provided therefor in the cap I and isprovided on its inner end with a float 33.

Obviously as the level of the liquid within the tank 5 rises or falls,rod 38 will move through the boss 39 in the proper direction and byreading the upper end of the boss against the graduations on the rod,one may readily ascertain the amount of liquid within, the tank orcontainer 5.

In operation, the device is placed with the point I! engaging theground. With one foot resting on the foot bar 21' and the hand grippinghandle downward pressure will cause the point I! and lower end of thetube 8 to pierce or penetrate the ground to the desired depth, thepenetration being limited by engagement of the foot bar 21' with theearth's surface. The operator then pulls up on the handle 23 against theaction of spring 21 causing the point i8 and rod l1 to move downwardlyrelative to the tube H so that the point I9 further penetrates theground while at the same time valve l8 moves out of engagement with seat3| and valve 32 moves into closing position with respect to the portsl3. Closing of ports 13 by valve plunger 32 cuts off further flow of theliquid contents of the tank 5 to the chamber l5 while the movement ofthe valve l8 from off its seat 3| will permit the liquid in the chamberl5 to escape therefrom. Preferably in using the device the point is willbe positioned so as to penetrate the weed and consequently theexterminating fluid will enter the hole or gash that has been made inthe body of the weed sufllciently to kill the latter.

Obviously the operation just described is i'ollowed for each injectionof the fluid into the ground and/or the weed or plant. Also theprovision of the ports 38 in the valve plunger or piston 32 will preventthe formation of a vacuum and permit free flow and discharge of' theliquid at the discharge end of the tube section ll.

It is thought that a clear understanding of 5 the construction, utilityand advantages of an invention of this character will be had without amore detailed description.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is: I A weedexterminator embodying a tank f0 an exterminating fluid, a sectionaltube extending longitudinally through the tank and having a sectionextending beyond the lower end of the tank and terminating in a valveseat, a valve cas- 15 ing connecting the ends of the sections of thetube internally of said tank, said valve casing and the connectionbetween the casing and one of the sections of the tube. being providedwith a valve seat, said valve casing below said seat being also providedwith ports for the admission of the fluid contents'of the tank into thelower section of said sectional tube, a valve rod operablelongitudinally within the sectional tube and the valve casing andprovided at one end with a penetrating point, and an integral valveadapted to engage the first-named valve seat, a valve assembly on thevalve rod including a valve element arranged to engage the second-namedvalve seat when the first-named valve is in engagement 30 with its seat,and a valve plunger for opening and closing said ports, said plungerbeing in an open position with respect to said ports when theaforementioned valves are engaged with their respective seats, a handlefor said tank mount- '36 ed on the upper end of the tank, a hand leverpivoted intermediate its ends to said handle, means pivotally connectingone end of the hand lever with the upper end of the valve rod fortransmitting movement of the hand lever to said "40 rod for raising andlowering the latter for seating and unseating said valves.

THOMAS W. JACKSON.

